The Sun. — London, England, 1864-12-19 00:00:00

AMERICA. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. The royal mail steam-ship Asia, from Boston on the 7th instant, and Halifax on the 9th, arrived at Queenstown at 4.30 a.m. yesterday with 64 passen• gers and 30,816 dole. in specie. She landed 79 sacks of mails, and two passengers, and proceeded at 5 a.m. All well. The Asia experienced four days' otrong easterly winds during her passage. (Per the Asia via Crookhaven.) NEW YORK, DEC. 6, Evening. Congress assembled at Washington yesterday. President Lincoln's message says an attempt to siogotiate with Davis would not result in any good, He would only accept disunion, which the North will not grant. The Southern people can have peace by laying down their arms and submitting to the national authority. lie retracts nothing here. tofore said on slavery, and will not modify the emancipation proclamation, The North will cease the war whenever it shall have ceased on the part of those who began it. He recommends the passing of a constitutional amendment abolishing slavery throughout the United States. President Lincoln says the North could continue the war indefinitely as far as providin g men i s concerne d. Her roster's, And resources are more abundant than ever. The national resources are inexhaustible, and believed to be inexhaustible. In consequence of the depredations committed on the Canadian frontier, notice has been given to Great Britain that, after the expiration of six months, the United States must hold themselves at liberty to increase their naval armament upon lakes, if necessary. Unforeseen political difficulties have arisen in British and Brazilian ports and the Northern boun dary of the United States, which will continue to require the practice of constant vigilance and a just conciliatory spirit on the part of the United States and the nations concerned. Mexico continueq to be the theatre of civil war. Oar political relations with that country have un dergone no change. The United States have main tained a neutrality between the belligerents. President Lincoln recommends Congress to pro• vide that a limited amount of some future issue of public securities might bo held by bona fide pur. chasers free from taxation and seizure for debt. The public debt on the Ist of July last was 1,700,000,000 dols. The customs receipts during the year amount to 102,000,000 dols., the internal revenue to 109,000,000 dols., and the proceeds of loans to 623,000,000 dole. The aggregate expenses of the year amounted to 865,000,000 dole. FURTHER DETAILS, NEW YORK, DEC. 6. Referring to the recognition of the Confederates as belligerents, President Lincoln says ;—"lt is possible that if it were a new and open question, the maritime powers, with the light they now enjoy, would not concede the privileges of naval belligerents to the insurgents in the United States, destitute as they are, and always have been, equally of ships, ports, and harbours. Disloyal emissaries have been neither less assiduous nor more successful during last year than they were before that time in their effirts, under that privilege, to embroil our country in foreign wars. The desire and determi nation of the maritime States to defeat that design are believed to be as sincere as, and cannot be more earnest than, our own.'' Referring to the war Mr Lincoln says :—" Since our last annual meeting all the important lines and positions then occupied by our forces have been maintained, and our armies have steadily advanced, liberating the regions left in their rear, so that Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and parts of other States have produced reasonably fair crops. The most remarkable feature in the military operations of the year is Sherman's attemp'ed march of 300 miles directly through the insurgent region. The result not yet being known, conjecture in regard to it shall not be indulged.'' Alluding to the State organisation, Mr Lincoln says :—" Maryland presents an example of corn plete success. She is secure to liberty and the Union for the future. The genius of the rebellion will no more claim her. Like another foul spirit it has been driven out. It may seek to tear her, but it will do no more." On the growth of the country during the war he says i—" While it is melancholy to reflect that the war has filled so many graves and carried sorrow to so many hearths, it is some relief to know that, compared with the surviving, the fallen have been so few, While corps, and divisions, and brie gades, and regiments have foamed and fought, and dwindled and gone out of existence, a great ma• jority of men who composed them are still living, and the material resources of the country are now more complete and abundant than ever. The national resources are unexhausted, and are be lieved to be inexhaustible. The public purpose is to re-establish and maintain the national authority which is unchanged, and believed to be unchange. able. Between the Southerners and ourselves the issue is distinct, simple, and inflexible. It is an issue which can only be tried by war and decided by victory. If we yield we are beaten. If the Southern people fail their President, he is beaten. Either way it 'would be victory and defeat following war. What is true of him who heads the insurgents' cause is not necessarily true of those who follow him. Although he cannot re.accept the Union, they can. Some, we know, already desire peace and re.union, They can at any moment have peace simply by lay ing down their arms and submitting to the national authority under the constitution. After so much the Government could not, if it would maintain war against them. The loyal people would not sustain or allow it; If questions should remain, wo would adjust them by peaceful mea sures of legislation, conference courts, and votes. The executive power itself would be greatly niched by the cessation of the war. The actual way of pardon and remissions of forfeiture, how ever, would still be within the executive control. A year ago a general pardon and an amnesty were offered upon specified terms, to all except certain designated classes. It was at the same time made known that the excepted classes were within the contemplation of special clemency. During the year many availed themselves of the general pro visions, and many others would do so only that signs of bad faith in some led to such precautionary measures as render a pract i ca l process less easy and less certain. Durin g the same time also special par dons have been granted to individuals of the excepted classes, and no voluntary action has been denied. Thus practically the door has been open to all. It is still so open, but a tim e may come, and pro. publi c d uty shall demand bably will comeos hen the that it be closed, and that in lieu thereof more rig. orous measures than heretofore bs adopted:, NEW YORK, DEC. 6 (Evening). Breckenridge had retreated towards Virginia be fore Burbridge, who had reached Bean station. Southern papers contain a report that the Federals had retired from Cumberland' Gap to Knoxville, Sherman having ordered East Tennessee to be d'. vastated ard abandoned. Gen. Rover reports that at New Creek, on the Blitimorc and Ohio Railroad, he captured 8 gun s 800 prisoners, and a large quantity of cattle, besides destroying 200 waggons, The Confederate Congress has passed a resolution denouncing the seizure of the Florida, aad declaring that Brazil is bound to enforce the restoration of the vessel. Commissioners have been e ppointed to confer with Brazil. • Thomas has concentrated his forces within Nash ville. Hood has captured a blockhouse four miles from Nashville on the Chattanooga road, where he was erecting breastworks within half-a-mile of those of the Federals around the city. Deserters report that Gen. Lee has published an order claiming a Confederate victory at Franklin. Soathern papers think that Hood will not attack Nashville, but penetrate Kentucky or East Ten nessee. Louisville despatches assert that Lord Lyons is preparing to leave for England, on account of his health. The Southern press ridicules the idea of South. erners attempting to fire the city of New York. The steamer North Stafford has been disabled off Port Royal, Federal transports from Savannah on the 30th report that Sherman had occupied Millen; his ad• vanced guard was within six miles of Savannah. Southern papers do not confirm this. The .Richmonsi Examiner of the 31 says, that the report that Sherman had reached Millen is incor rect ; the Federals were whipped, and their column of relief completely beaten. If Sherman gets through, which is doubtful, he will do so with the loss of half his army. Southern papers report that Wheeler had re pulsed Kilpatrick's cavalry with heavy loss on the 29th ult„ driving them toward Millen. On the 26th ult. the Federal cavalry were also repulsed at Sandeville, and a small forge unsuccessfully attacked Macon on the 20th. The .Savannah Republican of the 30th reports that Sherman was still on the railroad beyond Millen. A Federal column left Port Royal on the 29th to co•operate with him. Federal accounts represent that they captured Pocelaligo Bridge, between Savannah and Charleston. Southern accounts re. present the Federals there as having been badly whipped at Grahamsville, South Caroline, and driven five miles, leaving their dead and wounded behind, but the Federals still threatened Coosahats chie and another point on the railroad. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEW YORK, DEC. 6 (Evening). Gold, 2342. Exchange on London, 255 ; Paris, 2.82 to 2.132. Stocks slightly firmer. New York Centrals, 1202 ; Illinois, 129 i; Erie, 941; 5-20 Bonds, 109. NEW YORK, DEC. 7 (Morning). The report of the Secretary of the Treasury says that the expenses to be provided for during the current year, including the interest of the public debt, amount to 1,400,000,000 dols. The customs, internal revenue, and the miscellaneous sources, are estimated to produce 780,000,000 dols. ; leaving a balance of 620,000,000 dols, to be provided for. Farther measures reduce this increase of the public debt during the current year to 482,000,000 dols. It is estimated that the public debt on July 1, 1865, will be 2,223,000,000 dole. The expenditure in the next fiscal year is estimated at 1,168,000,000 dols., and the receipts at 396,000,000 dols. The balance in the treasury is 350,000,000 dols., leaving 422,000,000 dole. to be provided for by loans. Mr Fessenden is opposed to the negotiation of a foreign loan, and. will nit resort to a further issue of legal tender totes as long as the people support the war by loans. The amount of interest payable in gold by the Government is 56,000,000 dols. If the SUM required for the expenses of the present fiscal year is raised upon gold interest bearing bonds, and the customs receipts do not exceed the estimate of the first quarter, recourse must be had for gold to some other sources of supply. He thinks the Government shou'd rely upon secu rities bearing interest in currency convertible into bonds with interest payable in gold. NEW YORK, DEC. 8. No military operations of importance are reported from the army of the Potomac. Confederate batteries maintain slow practice against Dutch Gap Canal. This is supposed to b© for the purpose of getting effective range in anti• cipation of an attempt being made by monitors to pass up the river so soon as the canal is completed. The Confederates represent the recent raids at New Creek as an important success. General Early reports that a force of his cavalry under General Rosser surprised and captured Fort Kelly, at New Creek, on the 28th ult. Rosser afterwards captured Piedmont, and destroyed a large amount of Federal stores, and all the Govern ment buildings. The prisoners and artillery were all brought off, besides 1,015 horses and 1,000 head of cattle. Rosser's entire hiss was only five men. The news from East Tennessee is conflicting. Federal accounts represent that Gen, Burbridge, when he evacuated Cumberland Gap, advanced against Breckenridge, who was retiring towards Western Virginia. Confederate accounts claim that Breckenridge is master of the situation, and that the Federals were retreating to Knoxville. General Stephen Lee, in an order issued to his troops, congratulates them on their victory over the Federals at Franklin on the 30th ult., and com pliments them on their bravery and devotion: He promises them that if they fight with equal valour in future, Nashville, with its immense stores, will soon be in their possession. Later estimates of the casualties at Franklin state tile Federal loss at 1,500 men, and that of the Confederates at from 3,000 to 5,000. The Richmond Enquirer of Dec. 3 ridicules the idea of the Confederate authorities having had anything to do with the recent incendiary attempts in Now York. It denounces the incen diaries as cowardly sneaks, who having deserted their country are not above such work, and hopes that General Dix will hang every one of them. NEW YORK, DEC. 8 (Evening). General Sherman's army has passed Millen, and it is reported that his objective point is Darien. Hood has been repulsed with the loss of six guns in attacking a blockhouse near Murfreesboro. His headquarters are six miles from Nashville. The report of the Secretary of the Treasury (? Navy) admits the possibility of completely block ading Wilmington. Mr Chase has been appointed Chief Justice. The steamer Bremen has returned to New York disabled. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE, NEW YORK, DEC. 8 (Evening). Money easy. Gold, 239:-. Exchange on Lon don, 2631. Exchange on Paris, 2.81, to 2.131. Stocks slightly firmer. New York Centrals, 122; Illinois, 1301; Erie, 941; 5-20 Bonds, 1081. Cot• ton steady ; middling upland, 130. Flour slightly firmer. Wheat good inquiry. Corn dull. Coffee steady. Sugar good inquiry. Molasses steady. Petroleum —Crude, 49 ; refined, 71. sir R. Aleoek has not been recalled, but has been ordered to come home on leave of absence, in order to confer with her Majesty's Government on the state of affairs in Japan. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. THE "SPECTATOR" ON MR GLADSTONE'S NEW SCHEME.—The railway scheme attributed to Mr Gladstone ought to be discussed in essentials at least before the meeting of Parliament, if only to avert that surprised annoyance with which the na tion always receives a project which is not visibly an embodiment of a slowly formed public desire, It seems prima facie difficult, perhaps even a little useless. to consider a project so dependent on den tail before he has explained his views, but the limits within which he can move and the purposes for which only he will move ars capable of such sharp definition that it is possible to reason upon essentials, even before the Chancellor of the Exchequer has brought his marvellous power of statement to bear upon the particulars. In the first place, the powers legally vested in the Government for making a change in railway management are sufficiently clear. The Rail way A ct of 1844,7 and 8 Vic., cap. 85, suggests a clause which, if we are not greatly mistaken, was suggested by Lord Dalhousie, but which was defended in the Lower House by Mr Gladstone, conferring on the State the right of pur chasing any railway 21 years old and constructed after 1844, whether its owners wish to sell it or not. The State therefore can legally, if Parliament chooses, commence in 1865 buying up all railways opened slum that period, that is, in prac;,ica all railways except some of the trunk lines. The ob ject of that clause, moreover, was stated in a speech of Mr Gladstone when introducing it to be the pre• vention of any evils from monopoly, and as Parlia ment is the sole judge whether evils have or have not arisen from monopoly, it has a clear moral as well as legal right to act on its own precautionary reserved power. It has moreover the ability as well as the right —a point upon which an extraordinary confusion seems to exist. The act compels the State, should it any time purchase a railway, to give the shareholders 25 years' purchase, calculated upon the average of market prices during the last three years. As a matter of fact, sound railway shares throughout the kingdom may be taken as being worth just 20 years' purchase, that is, the average prices of three years have always yielded within a fraction of 6 per cent. Cense. quently, remarks the 717nes, the State would have to pay the difference, viz., five years' purchase, and as Parliament will not pay the difference, there is an end of the matter, The limes, however, has formed its decision a great deal too hastily, end missed the most essential element in the question. The State has, it is true, twenty-five years' purchase to pay, bat then it borrows at thirty years, er 34 per cent., and the difference is all in its favour. Twenty-five years' purchase means 4 percent,, while Government cannot borrow at 34. The difference of three-quarters per cent. represent its own profit, and supposing it conceivable that it could purchase the whole railway system of Great Britain and Ire. land, say a napital of four hundred millions, its profit would be rather less than three millions sterling a year, with possibilities of increase. We merely quote these ',ores to show that it is not the cost which will prevent any action under the clause, however vast, and not as advocating any change so wide in the administrative system of the country. Mr. Gladstone of course has no such idea in his head, but it is necessary that the truth as to the existence of pecuniary, or legal, or moral obstacles should be first of all made clear. The primary and demonstrable data of the whole business are that Parliament has the legal power to buy up the British railways—the branches practically governing the trunk :—that it has the moral right to buy them; that it can offer a price at which the whole body of shareholders will jump ; and that it can offer this price without cost and with pecuniary benefit to the taxpayers. The question to be considered therefore is not the legality, or the morality, or the possibility of such a transaction, but only its expediency. The purchase of the entire system may be put out of the discussion, simply because no such step is at likely to be proposed, or even contemplated. There is an irrepressible instinct in the British mind which forbids any novel application of State power to internal purposes upon a scale so vast, and involving consequences so far beyond states manlike calculation. The House of Commons would be too startled by the mere mention of such an enterprise to consider it calmly, and the nation is never less startled than the House of Commons, But even when discussing suggestions admitted not to be practicable it is as well to avoid talking non sense, and nonsense is being talked very liberally on the matter. The " vast" suggestion, supposing it made, would not involve any necessary loss of revenue, any diminution in the range of private enterprise, any increase, dangerous or safe, in the sum total of State patronage. The lines need not, because owned by the State, be worked by the State, can be leased to private companies as easily as they are now constructed by them. The men would be different, the system the same, the change being only equivalent to that which has already occurred over and over again, viz:, the transfer of each rail way in turn from one body of directors to another, equally irremovable, equally independent, but under far stronger inducements to work the lines to a pro fit and far more stringent compulsion to consult the interests of the public. The lessees, not the State, would appoint, pay, and dismiss the armies of rail way officials; they—not the State—would enjoy the distribution of all those prizes, posts, profits, and percentages which some writers appear to ima gine would suffice to corrupt all England. Even on this great scale the objection to be taken is only one of expediency, and the plan, if proposed, is sure to be something infinitely less gigantic than this. THE "EXAMINER" oN THE DANGERS OF THE STREETS.—An old lady has been knocked down and killed by a Hansom cab, and the driver, found guilty of manslaughter by a coroner's inquest, is committed for trial. The man was driving at the rapid rate of 12 miles an hour, and whipped his horse to a gallop when the pocr lady fell to make his escape, evincing no concern about what he had done. Every one must have noticed the reckless way in which these patent cabs are driven. From their build they turn very quickly, and it is the sport of some of the drivers to give a fright to foot passengers in crossings by a close shave, as it is called. No more than a fright is in tended, but if there be the miscalculation of a few inches, or any extraordinary awkwardness in the person put in fear, serious mischief may alid does happen. A return from the hospitals of the num ber of persons knocked down or run over by horses and carriages in the course of every week would rather startle the public, and these accounts would not include all the accidents of the class, as many sufferers are laid up in their private houses. More dangerous even than the Hansom cabs are the fire engines, which go galloping and thundering through .he streets, with a crowd of ragamuffins yelling at their heels, without any pretence of care for what ever may be in their way, or the horses they may frighten. Indeed the drivers seem to think it would be much to the honour of their zeal and activity to ran over some one. It would prove at least that they could do something. For with all this ado and fuss, we all know how little serviceable these engines are when they arrive at the place of action, and nine times out of ten the occasion of the reckless gallop through the streets and peril to passengers is nothing more than a chimney on fire or a false alarm of one. We never knew a case, however, in which it mat tered a rush , vhether fire engines arrived a few minutes earlier or a few minutes later, for to extin guish a fire is far beyond their competency. It is their part to sprinkle it and to make a pond of the street, but the fire takes its course, limited perhaps at best to the building where it begins and ends its days. The tradesmen's two-wheeled carts are the next danger of the Trivia, The driver is so seated that he cannot see to the right or the left, and is often both a careless and unskilled driver, valuing 'nothing but time. The ice carts in particular are notorious for their hot baste and recklessness of mis chief. The same observations apply to :he Post office carts, with the royal arms upon them, the drivers of which seem to think themselves privi■ lodged to run over all who are not nimble enough to get out of their way. Unlike the drivers of the tradesmen's carts, the drivers of the Post -office carts see their road clearly both right and left and before them, but they do so with a disregard to persons that would do honour to justice. THE "LONDON REVIEW" ON THE CASE OP STONE ♦. STONE AND APPLETON.—Budleigh Salterton is a village on the sea -coast, a few miles from Exeter. Mrs Stone is the wife of Captain Stone, late in the East India Company's service, and some time before the year 1859 she took up her residence at Budleigh, while her husband went to India, In 1861 he was invalided and sent home. In the May of that year ho returned to his family. He does not appear, from the evidence in the trial which terminated on Thurs day, to have been the wisest or most amiable of husbands. But he consorted with his wife till the year was wearing towards its close. About that time a scandal, which was either newly conceived or had been long smouldering in Budleigh, touching his wife's relations towards Mr Apple ton, her medical attendant, suddenly broke out, and Captain Stone rushed to one of her relatives with the intelligence that "Mettle" had " gone to the bad." On the 2d of January, 1862, Mettle gave birth to a child, and as her hus band, by what instigation egged on we know not, had already charged her with adultery, all Budleigh Salterton was up in arms to test whether the baby was a full. grown baby or a baby who had presumed to come into the world before his proper time. Upon this solemn question Mrs Stone's guilt or innocence mainly turned, and witnesses were called on either side to prove, in the interest of the ,Japtain that the little mortal was of full growth, and in the interest of Mrs Stone that by right he should have post poned putting in a social appearance for some seven weeks later. The question of his legitimacy was tried in March 1863, and the jury then impannelled declared by their vor• diet that whose ever child he might be, he was not the child of Captain Stone. A new trial was ordered by the full full Court, and on Thursday it was decided that Mrs Stone was free from the charge of adultery. It is difficult to conceive how such a charge could have been made. Mrs Stone was already the mother of four children before the birth of her last child, and it was proved that she had commenced her married life with premature con finements. She was a woman in delicate health, and ob stetric science and common experience support the probe. bility that a woman who begins in this way will probably continue to be confined before her time. Some portions of the evidence on which her husband based his claim to a divorce are so manifestly disreputable, that one is at a loss to conceive how they could have been presented to a jury. They are, indeed, of so disgusting and improbable a charac ter, that we should not think of recapitulating them to our readers. It is sufficient to say that it is clearly impossible that any woman, not insane, could have acted as Captain Stone's principal witnesses represent his wife as having acted. But the whole tenor of the case testifies to that miserable longing for excitement of any kind that promises relief from the insupportable dulness of village life. Grave and respectable people panting for stimulants at their par lour windows could not see Mrs Stone's medical attendant coming daily to visit her in the absence of her husband without concluding that something dreadful was going on. They waylaid her lightest expressions, and extracted from them a meaning favourable to their scandalous speculations. Gossip after gossip came and looked at her baby, and con cluded, according to their or good-will, either that it was full-grown or premature. In the exciting contest of opinions Budleigh Salterton thrilled with delight. Parsons and doctors, matrons and spinsters, kitchen-maids and old women of the stronger sex, all inspected the baby, ranged themselves on either side of the case, and swore point blank that it was full-grown or not full-grown. If from these village oracles we turn to the evidende of the first obstetric authorities, we find that nothing on earth is more uncertain than the maturity or immaturity of a child between seven and nine months' growth. The inaicia vary so much that Dr Tyler Smith sai.i, when a lady's reputation was at stake, he would decline to give any opinion at all, or, if he did give any, it would be with so many reservations and excep tions, that nothing certain could be concluded from it. Yet this was the main fact on which Captain Stone could, with any appearance of right, found his claim to a divorce. In truth, he and his wife both fell victims to the inanity of Budleigh Salterton existence. The village wanted some thing to stir its blood, and it lighted on Mr Appleton's pro• fessional visits to Mrs Stone. Her husband was absent in India. There were two medical practitioners ministering to its physical sufferings. One of them was in frequent at tendance on the temporary widow, and it concluded, in a Christian spirit, that "something must be wrong." There is no greater stimulant to lazy blood than scandal. Bud leigh Salterton grasped at its opportunity, and Capt. Stone Stone—hie wife, unhappily, also—fell a victim to its thirst for something to talk about. THE " SATURDAY REVIEW" ON GOVERNMENT AND THE RAILWAYS.—Twenty years ago, when Sir Robert Peel was in power, just before the great railway mania of 1845, an act was passed giving to the Government various powers of control over all railways authorised in and after the ses sion of 1844, The regulations under which the mails and the troops are to be carried, the compulsory arrangement as to Parliamentary trains, and a variety of other provisions obligatory upon the companies, are to be traced to this sta tute. But tilde were two powers which were to lie in abey ance for 21 years, and which will come into operation in the course of 1865, One of these has proved nugatory, being based on the then prevalent anticipation that 10 per cent. would be a common rate of dividend. Whenever the profits exceeded this amount, the Government were empowered to impose a new tariff; but the companies which have been fortunate enough to reach this limit are so few, that there is no prospect of any exercise of this power of regulation, even if it were otherwise thought to be desirable. The other almost forgotten privilege of the Government is that of buying up any line subject to the provisions of the act at 25 years' purchase on the average rate of profit of the three preceding years. The privilege is clogged with certain conditions. If the company is dissatisfied with the amount of purchase-money calculated on this basis, it may demand an arbitration, to determine whether any and what addition should bo made to bring the price up to the fair value of the line. No branch line of less than five miles in length is to be subject to the powers of compulsory purchase ; and, if a branch line is taken, the Company may require the Government to purchase their whole concern, just as a private landowner may comp! a Company to take the whole of a house or manufactory of which any portion is required for the purpose of their works. The act, more over, provides that its powers are not to be used to sustain an undue competition against any independent company, and that no purchase shall be made until three months' notice shall have been given to the company, nor until Parliament shall have authorised the raising of the neces sary funds, The total value of railway properly, including loan-capital, is between £300,000,000 and £400,000,000; and though the interest of shareholders, which alone would be the immediate subject of purchase, is very much less, it would be an operation of unparalleled magnitude to putsthe powers of the act in force. It is said that the Government has it in contemplation to bring the subject before Parlia ment in the approaching session, and there can be no doubt that, if this is done, the course taken will be to refer to the consideration of a Select Committee a matter of too formidable a character to be dealt with as a party measure. The first consideration which must strike every one, whether interested in railway shares or not, is that the purchase, if effected at all, must—not neces sarily in the first instance, DUG sooner or later—embrace the whole railway system of the country ; and it is of the gravest importance to consider, first, whether so great a revolution as the transfer of all our railways to the Goa vernment is desirable, and, secondly, whether, under exist ing circumstances, such a project can be considered feasible. To deal with the last question first, it is obvious that, from the enormous extent to which a malgamation has been car ried in the 20 years that have elapsed since the passing of Sir Robert Peel's Act ; from the infinitely varied and com plicated arrangements in the shape of leases, subsidies, and joint and from th e vast parliamentarycapi tal infl uence o f t h e rail way interest, it would, to say the least, be a very difficult n nrecthe: price glad,ea Would, i n an average ease, be t ttmatter and ownershipt toh eenforce r o important the et variouscompulsory powers of purchase aginst the unanimous wishes of railway shareholders. It is by no means clear, however, th at the interest of the companies would be opposed to th at of the Government. There must be very few shareholdersatthi sbarnothmeencto,utno sell yw l who would at 25years' rate of divid en d f or th e last about th n r d arvsai present market value of the area, and if the special i nterests of those who direct the policy of the compani es h i . ad: s o a y e h , b la'n twenty per cent. above t h e were not an obstacle, there would seem to be no reason to dread au organised opposition to the Government project. It is true that shareholders who retain their shares as permanent invest ate a ts time w might be unwilling quen o se ll, even a t a hi g h pr i ce, hen, in e of th e operat i on, the market would be denuded of thec class of five per cent. investments which they would °specially desire ; but the broad result of the purchase would still, upon the whole, be decidedly advantageous to the holders of railway pro perty early . Debenture holders migh t , net like the prospect of an reduction in their rate of interest, and some difficulty might be experienced in adjusting the claims of preferential shareholders. Still tile total price paid would be largely in excess of what the market would produce, and this consideration might be expected to secure a preponderance of support from those most immediately in terested in the operation. A — n apparent resistance would be likely, in eny case, to be manifested, if only with the view of utilizing to the utmost the r ight of submitting the ques tion to arbitration ; but someth; king more than a mock oppo sition would be needed to resist thir scheme if it were once deliberately approved by then --ouse of Commons. The diffi culty, which at once suggests it self, of raising the requisite funds is not nearly so formidable as i t tosy .. appear at first sight. Although the operation Must be conducted from the first with a view to the absorption of the whole railway system, the purchases of different lines need not be, and would South Coast not be, aimultaneous. F or example, the acquisition of the lines, which have so great a military value inbe canonnection with our n aval arsenals and dockyards, would operation wittio manageable compass, and time might be given f this or the quiet abs or p t i on o f t h e new stoc k cr for purpose before attempting to deal with any other company- A considerable proportion of the capital released bythe purchase of shares would find its way at once into Government s ecurities, and though some part of the amount would probably flow abroad in search of five per cent. investments, the derangement of the market and the influence on the price of Consols need not be serious if the process were conducted gradually and with judgment. Un less, therefore, the attitude of the railway interest should be more hostile than there appears reason to suppose, there is nothing to render the ultimate purchase of all our rail ways, large as the operation would be, at all impracticable. Whether the concentration in the hands of the government of all the railway power of the country would be beneficial to the community at large is a wholly different question, upon which there is much to be said on either side. The advantages to be gained by the proposed revolution are obvious, if only it be assumed that the lines would be as well managed under the Government as they now are by independent and conflicting Boards. aetinga of the Capital Pun shment Commis. sioners were h e ld on Thursday and Fridey, the 15th and 16th inst., at w hi ch the Duke of Richmond, Lord Stanley, M.P. ; 11. Waddington, Esq.; J. Bright, E,q., IMP.; W. Swart, l'Aq., M.P. G p a a t t .h te oz . H E a sq rd ., y, Eeq., M-P , ;a w Thell t , E s M.P„iattended. and C. Neate, Esq., 'l secretary," li ; P II : ! was also present, [ADVERTISEIIE T.]—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pills-- The Anchor of Hope. —If there be one description of human knowledge superior to all others it is the knowledge of the means of preserving or regaining health, wanting which existence is a mockery, death a relief. Holloway's twin medicaments supply this great desideratum. In all diseases they are beneficial, because they purify the blood, from which every portion of the body must inevitably be renewed. The ointment, by brisk friction, relaxes, penetrates, and then exerts its regulating and wholesome ingnence on the skin and underlyin,, organs. i n this way th e s t omac h, lungs, liver, and kidneys can be effectually reached and in vigorated, especially it Holloway's pills be simultaneously taken to aid in the work of purification and regeneration, Naval and Military Intelligence. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, as Colonelsin►Chief of the Royal Artillery, will attend at the half-yearly examination of the Royal Mili tary Academy at Woolwich on Thursday next, the 22d inst. The following appointments and promotions in the corps of Royal Marines were on Friday an nounced at Woolwich—First-Lieut. and Adjt. J. W. V. Arbuckle, of the Woolwich division, to be Capt. at the Chatham division, vice Clendon, placed on half-pay; Second. Lieut. Charles Albert Louis Moore, of the Woolwich division, to be First-Lieut. at a division to be hereafter named, vice Arbuckle ; First-Lieut. John Straghan, now acting Adjutant at Deal, to be Adjutant at the Woolwich division, vice Arbuckle, promoted; First-Lieut. Alfred Fon blanque, of the Woolwich division, to be Acting- Adjutant at Deal, vice Straghan. Permission to be exchange divisions has been granted to Capt. S. J. Graham, of the Chatham division of Royal Marines, end Capt. R. F. Taylor, of the Woolwich division. Leave of absence has been granted for two months to Capt. Julius Banes, instructor of musketry and brigade-major to the Light Infantry division of Royal Marines at Woolwich, and also to First-Lieut. W. R. Hopkins, of the same division. Her Majesty's iron-clad war steamer Valiant, 24, 4,063 tons, 800-horse power, was taken from her moorings in the Medway on Thursday for a preli minary trial of her engines and machinery, under the direction of Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., of the Cutn berland, 70, and the other officials of the Chatham Steam Reserve, in order to test the working of her machinery during several hours' full steaming previously to entering upon her speed trials at the Maplin Sands. The Valiant is fitted with a pair of horizontal engines of 800-horse power (nominal), of the double pistons rod class, and are similar, excepting in a few im• provements, to those fitted on board the Royal Oak, the Royal Alfred, the Zealous, and others of the squadron of iron•eased ships by the same makers, Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field. The cylinders are 82 inches in diameter, with a length of stroke of 4ft., by which from 55 to 60 revolutions per minute are obtainable. The cylinders are incased in steam jackets, supplied with steam direct from the boilers, the slide-valves, which are double ported, being worked by double eccentrics and link motion, The expansion valves are constructed on the revolving equilibrium principle, and are worked by wheelwork from the main crank shaft of the engines, the alteration of the range of expan sion being effected by long sockets with spiral grooves, in the manner introduced by Messrs. Mandalay and Co. for steam engines in the early stage of screw propulsion. The screw is fitted with two blades of the Griffiths form, on the improved plan introduced by Messrs. Mandalay, by which the pitch can be readily altered when required from a minimum of 22ft. Gin. to 2711. Gin. The boilers are of the ordinary tubular construction, with re turn tubes over the fireplaces, and are placed in the wings of the vessel, with the stoking room amid , ships; the six boilers are heated by means of 24 furnaces, ranged 12 on either side of the stokehole. In addition to the large engines there are a pair of auxiliary engines, of 40 horse power, with cylinders of 15io. in diameter, and a length of stroke of 14in. These auxiliary engines work two horizontal double acting pumps of 7fin. in diameter, con nected directly with the piston-rods of the engines, for the purpose of extinguishing fires. Connected with the pumps are ranges of pipes, with the necessary branches, traversing every part of the ship, so that a fire, wherever it might break out, can be readily extinguished. The auxiliary engines also drive two of Lloyd's silent fans, each of 3Ft. Gin. in diameter, for venti lating the vessel, either by forcing a current of air into the different cabins, or by txhausting them and blowing into the coal boxes, as may be required, the amount of ventilation being regulated by slid- ing valves placed in each cabin, as well as in the different water tight compartments of the frigate. fhe same engines also drive a fan for heating the cupola furnace, placed at the forward end ois he stokehole, for preparing the molten iron for the IMartin shells, and also to work an apparatus for raising the ashes to the upper deck. During the trial the engines, which wen under the charge of Mr Warriner, worked with great regularity, and at the termination of the preliminary run the Valiant returned to her former moorings, in readiness to procoed on her subsequent trial. The paddlewheel steamer Terrible, 21, 1,850 tons 800 horse power (nominal), fitting for the first di vision of the Chatham Steam Reserve in the Med. way, having completed a very extensive repair to both hull and machinery, extending over several months, has been removed from the steam basin and placed at the basin moorings in the stream,. where she will be completed as rapidly as possible, as she is required for immediate commission. The screw gunboat, Magnet, 2, 60 horse power, tender to the Pembroke, 60,200 horse power, coast ' guard ship at Harwich, has arrived in the Medway in order to make good defects to both hull and ma chinery, which will involve the necessity of remov ing her engines. The paddlewheel steamer Lizard, 3, 150 horse power, Lieut-Commander H. J. Challis, having completed her duties in protecting the fisheries QII the coast of Scotland, in which the service she was employed during the whole of the past summer, has returned to the Mee way, and has been placed in the steam basin at Sheerness, tor the purpose of undergoing an extensive repair. She is to be pro vided with new boilers, her present boilers being no longer serviceable. The Lizard is fitted with the new Lumley rudder, the working of which is de- , scribed as being in the highest degree satisfactory. The Adder, paddlewheel steamer, Master. Co mmender W. Blakey, is to have her defects made good at Chatham, and will afterwards be banded over to the dockyard officials to be used as a dockyard tender. The screw gun vessel Torch, 5, 428 tons, 80-horse power, having completed her repairs to hull and machinery and been fitted for the first division of the Chatham Steam Reserve, was undocked on Saturday afternoon end placed at moorings alongside Chatham dockyard. During the time the Torch was under repair the greater portion of her timbers were removed, most of them having been found hopelessly rotten, and new timbers were substituted. She was also supplied with new outside mahogany planking, new decks, and, in short, almost reconstructed. Her boilers were removed during the time the Torch was in dock and underwent a thorough repair in the factory. The Torch, it may be remarked, was built for the Admiralty by contract, and has only been once in commission. With the exception of having her sea stores on board, she is ready for the pennant, and will shortly be commissioned, it is understood, for service on the west coast of Africa. The screw corvette Cadmus, 21, 1,436 tons, 400• horse power, Capt. A. Gordon,:preparing for sea in Chatham harbour, is getting well forward with her fitments, but up to the present time only a very small number of her crew, which will number up wards of 200 hands, have joined. From the difficulty just now experienced by the Admiralty in manning the ships placed in commission it will be some time before she has her full complement. Just before the time of the dockyard hands employed on board con cluding work on Friday one of the painters, who was engaged mixing some mineral paint in the store-room adjoining the ward-room, incautiously allowed a light candle to come into contact with the paint, which was immediately in a blaze. The alarm of fire was at once given, and by the prompt exertions of Mr. Barley, the foreman on board, the flames were extinguished. The workman, a man named Reeve, who caused the fire was immediately dismissed from the dockyard, and one of the junior officers who was in charge of the workmen sus pended. The screw steam sloop Grryhound, 17, recently returned fromLthe North American station (the crew of which have been paid off), was placed on Friday in the North dock in Devon port yard, for the purpose of undergoing a thorough repair.; The iron-cased screw steamship Caledonia, which has for a long time been in - No. 1 dock at Devon. port dockyard, was removed therefrom on Satur. day. Her rig has been altered from that of a bark to a ship, and she has been fitted with a poop, stern walk, and forecastle, to adopt her for a flagship. The screw steam frigate Liverpool, 39, Capt. Rowley Lambert, recently returned from North America and the West Indies, was placed on Saturday in Dock No. 1, in Devonport Dockyard, just 'vacated by the Caledonia. It will be recol lected that she has touched the ground, and that on her return she was exceedingly leaky. The bottom of the Liverpool is to undergo a minute ex mination, and she will propably have a thorough repair. An Admiralty order has been received at Chat ham dockyard announcing that the Lords of the Admiralty have taken into consideration the claims of the accountants at each of the Royal dockyards, and have decided on augmenting their pay and allowances by awarding them an increased bum of 3d. per cent. on the whole of the sums paid by them in wages and salaries. An Admiralty order was received at Chatham on Saturday directing that the dockyard and the whole of the naval establishments aro to be closed from Friday evening next until the following Tuesday morning for the Christmas holidays. The additional day given by their Lordships is to be made up by the whole of the hands previously working extra hours. Orders from the Lords of the Admiralty were re ceived at Devonport on Friday to supply 12 Arm strong shunt guns of 14 cwt each to the screw steam frigate Constance, 39, now in the first division of the Steam Reserve in Hamoaze. Tne new guns will probably displace 12 of the 32-pounders on the frigate's main deck. The December quarter examinations of 1864, on board her Majesty's Victory at Portsmouth, of can didates for clerkships in her Majesty's Navy, took place on Friday last, when the following gentlemen passed through their course successfully, and re• ceived certificates accordingly :—Second class Certi ficates—William Allman, Wm. Bedford, William Why ham, Edward Armstrong,* Joseph Hill, Fre derick Good. Third class Certificates—John Ram say,* Henry King, Alfred Sherris,* Edward E I lery, Henry Weaver, George Collier, Henry Cummins,* Richard Ross-Lewin, George Murray, John Mac laurin,* Arthur Pearson, Robert Wright, Gilb er t Carter, * Passed from Eastman's Eastern Parade Naval Academy, Southsea. • t Hooker v. Burnaby." TO THE EDITOR OF THE BUN. Sir,—May Ibe permitted, as the defendant in this case, to say a word in my own defence, not having had the opportunity afforded to me (contrary to my own expressed 'wishes) at the trial of this case on Wednesday last ? I deny in the first in stance most positively that I ever kicked the plain. tiff while upon the ground, and I trust that I may, through your columns, give my version of this very unpleasant affair. Mr Hooker, as admitted by his own evidence, commenced the dispute by objecting in a mose offensive manner to my venturing to ex press my opinion as to the shooting—and he con= tinues his evidence by bather admitting that he hardly " knows what he did say." Had myself and witnesses been called they would have stated upon oath that Mr Hooker indulged in a tirade of coarse and vulgar abuse that few men would or could have submitted to. The terms " swindler of my brother officers" and other words of a like character were freely applied to me, and he himself proposed fight ing, or, to use his own words, "give me a sound thrashing," and when I fired off my gun and ex pressed myself as willing to accede to his request, I was at once met by his threat "to blow my brains out if I touched him." It was not for some two hours after this, and after consulting with my two friends and brother officers, Mr Adderley and Mr Westcar, and through them expressing my willingness to withdraw any expression of my own calculated to hurt the plain tift's feelings and accept an apology, and allow the plaintiff to withdraw the term "swindler " and the other offensive epithets he had applied to me, and upon his refusal so to do that I personally addressed him. I then asked him for an apology, to which he replied he would make no apology " to a bully like myself,'' and upon his saying this I kicked him twice behind. He then caught at my leg, and en deavoured to throw me, and to prevent this and in the scuills I struck him several times. I again deny that I ever kicked the pltintiff while upon the ground, and I deny that he was ever on the ground at all, and I pledge my word of honour that his statement as to my kicking him in any way,save as already mentioned, is utterly false, and that Mr Adderley and Mr Westcar, who were both in court as well as myself, were prepared to have fully sub stantiated the truth of this statement, had we been called. I may also state that the plaintiff himself proposed to accept £5O damages prior to the hear ing of the case, which I declined acceding to, feeling then, as I do now, that however much I ma; regret my loss of temper on the occasion, I did only that which under the same amount of provocation any gentleman in my position would have done, feeling as I do that I could not have again met my brother officers, and that I should have been un worthy to retain Her Majesty's commission, had 1 allowed so gross, and, as I venture to assert, so un provoked an insult to have passed without notice. I again repeat that it was against my wish that myself and witnesses were not celled. I did as others would have done—submitted to the advice of the eminent counsel to whom my defence was entrusted, and although I do not for one moment complain of the conduct of my case, I must, however, again express my regret that I had not the opportunity afforded me of laying this, my present statement, before the jury and the public. In conclusion I may observe that, while admitting m y proficiency in manly exercises, it is only fair to call attention to the fact of my adversary being a young man, standing Oft. 2in,, and my superior in weight. FRED. BURNABY, Royal Horse Guards. Regent's Park Barracks, Dec. 16. The Frightful Accident in Blackheath Rail way Tunnel, - The terrible calamity which occurred on Friday evening in the Blackheath tunnel, on the North Kent Railway, has caused the greatest alarm among those accustomed to trave by rail. It is miraculous that the loss of life among the passengers was not very great. Up to the present time the fatal cases have been confined to the servants of the com pany, although there are many passengers who are seriously injured and are not considered out of danger. It was impos sible at a late hour on Friday, in the confusion of the mo ment, to obtain an accurate account of the killed and wounded, but the following list may be relied upon as cor rect. The persons killed at the time of the accident were —Wm, Wade, a platelayer, residing at New-cross—Wm. Jones, labourer, Lewisham—Wm. ,Morris, labourer, Old Kent - road—Henry Smith, and Wm. Seeley, labourers, ad dresses unknown, From inquiries made yesterday it has been ascertained that another person had been added to the list. Edward Allum, who resided at Peckham, and who was the fireman of the up passenger train from Maidstone, was picked up with the other injured persons, and was found to be very severely scalded about the neck and face, He was removed to the Marine Hospital at Woolwich, and was attended by Dr Salmon, the Deputy Inspector General, and the other surgeons of the hospital. On Saturday night alarming symptoms set in. He became delirious, and, not• withstanding the greatest attention on the part of Dr Camp bell, one of the hospital surgeons, his strength gave way, and he expired at 12 o'clock. The following persons were seriously hurt :—Mrs Gambling, of 32, Hereford -street, Landport, Portsea, was greatly shaken by the shock; she is near her confinement, and danger is feared in consequence. Mrs Ely, of Waltham stow, was dreadfully wounded; she received a compound fracture of the right leg.and frightful contusion of left leg and head. Mrs Caroline Browning, of 7, London-wall, is suffering from concussion of brain. Miss Louisa Price, of Effra-road, Brixton, suffers from fractured scapula and ribs and severe internal injuries, Miss Jane Price, aged 26, of Union-square, Trinity -square, has had her leg fractured. This lady is not a relative of Miss Louisa Price, the injured passenger last mentioned. Joseph Hunt, the driver of the passenger train, residing in Charles-street, Old Kent-road, is very severely scalded about the face, neck, and hands. Mr Eric Windus, cf 33, Terrace, Greenhithe, has received severe contusions of left leg and arm, and Mrs Windus, his wife, fracture of the right leg and severe injury to the left knee. She, is much bruised about the body and face. She also is far advanced in pregnancy. The persons mentioned are all lying at the Anti- Gallican Tavern at Charlton, and are under the care of Dr Fegan, of Old Charlton. At the Marine Hospital, Woolwich, are Thomas Randall. the guard of the ballast train, residing at 23, Brooke - place, Old Kent-road, who has had to undergo amputation of three of his toes; John Cullin,of 11, Charles street, Park-road, Peckham, who bas both legs broken, and it is anticipated will have to . submit to amputation of b oth of the fractured limbs. The v are under the care of Dr Salmon, Dr Campbell, Dr Mini. ‘ock, Dr Pattullo, and Dr Dunovan. Miss Frances Gillingh 'am ,of 5, Woodson-villas Westbourne-road, Forest-hill, lies at Guy's Hospital with a broken leg, and although not da.r eerously ill she is not progressing favourably. Jas, Pledge , a labourer, is also at this hospital suffering from cow:Niness and slight internal injuries. Miss Maria Gillingham, ,ebi ter of Miss Fran ces Gillingham, received some injuriee. :Vee her leg, but after being attended to she was able to b s removed to her resi deuce at Brixton. Joseph James Al lemeee of 14, Upper Por . e chester-street,Hyde -park, had his lei ee and ribs ieajured• case was serious enough to prevent hit ta being romoved to his home. John Wright, of Crown-street, Erith e received some contusions on his head, but was able to be taken home. William Cook, a labourer, who stated that he had no fixed home, received a very severe injury on b is n south. Charles Cook, of No. 1. Radnoreterrace, Birdeir L-liitnd-road, Peck ham, has received severe injury in tho head. This patient, after having his head dressed, was we tl enough to be sent home, Dr, W. A. Browne, of the Wr tr-ieflice, has received concussion of the brain and a severe she ock to the system and contusions to the head and body., ff e, accompanied by three friends, who wero also much shaken , was brougot 11 1 ) by train to the Charing-cross Railway Sta tion, and removed to the Golden Cross, Charing-cross, where, he remains under medical treatment. It appears from the statement of Watson, the driver of the express train which met with the accident in the tun-el. and of others who were in the train, that it was stopped at Charlten for the space of 11 minutes before the signal " Line clear" was given from the Blackheath end of the tunnel. Immediately on the signal being received the. train got into motion and entered the tunnel at the usual speed. Ti le e ng i ne _driver states that when he had got a little distance into the tiennel he heard a noise which he took to be that of a down t ra i l , on the opposite metals had ran into his train. He could not leen what happened then, as he was most seri . ously injured. Lee was atterwards found welder some of the debris and removed to the Railway Tavern. Charlton, where he now lies. A passenger states that .!ee placed his wife and daughter in a first-class carriage at Stronel, and got into a third-class carriage himself. The effect of the shock of the collision was terrible. He was flung with great force against the opposite side of the carriage. The woolen is the carriag e screamed frantically. He recovered from the shock and gel out of the carriage to look for his wife. Ife caught bold of a rope attached to the side of the tunnel, an.] by that mea; swung himself down. He found himself in total darkness, which was rendered dreadful by the appalling - groans an d shrieks issuing from the different carriages. la the midst of the noise he was able to distinguish his wife's Voice, e nd learnt thus that she was alive. By the aid of the rope at'. tached to the brickwork of the tunnel he groped his way along through the darkness to the place whence he h eard his wile's voice. He found her s er i ous l y b ut no t fetelli injured. His daughter, a child aged t w o y ears , esca ped hurt. After some delay as s ist ance came an d th e injurr" were removed. As soon as the collision took place messengers were de' spatched to Blackheath and Charlton stations to ask for assistance. Mr Chapman, the st a ti on master a t Bl a ckheath at once proceeded down the tunnel, accompanied by as 1)2 ' 111 men as he could procure, w ith l amps an d working traP,e: ments. On arriving at the scene of the accident he set men to work to get out the killed and wounded from 016 ' wreck of the trains, ani as soon as they were fairly a t work, he returned to Blackheath and sent a larger nei n ' ber of men down to assist the sufferers. At the station he met Dr Adams, of the London Hospital, one of the W it : pany's surgeons, who on the first alarm of the accident had been telegraphed for, and with him posted down to the Charlton end of the tunnel, where he found that assistance had arrived from Charlton. Large fires had been kindled out of the fragments of the broken carriages, and vigorous efforts were being made by the company's servant° and others to remove the pa ssengers f rom th e car riages. la the meantime the messenger had arrived at the Charlton. station, and Mr Claydon, the station-master, was proinPt procuring all the assistance in hi s p ower . It happened, for; tunately, that there were a number of empty carriages an an engine at hand, and these he at once dispatched to bring away the injured. Mr Linvell, inspector of the It division of police, arrived at the Charlton station shortly afterward" and he and Mr Claydon at once proceeded to the Anti-Gel licau Hotel, and engaged the house for the accommodation of the sufferers, Mr Boyd, the landlord, placing his whole house at the disposal of the comp an y, D oc t or s wore s tu for in all directions, and nu rses f rom th e ne i g hbourho od were procured. When the train returned from the ttlY ile, Mr Claydon and Inspector Linvell superintended the re ' 'nova of the wounded persons to the hotel, where Ore/ . thing was in readiness to receive them. Those who we re not seriously injured had their wounds dressed, and Nve then sent in cabs, which had been telegraphed for, to 0 16 adjoining stations and other places where they could be procured, to their homes. By the time the train arrived from tho scene of the accident two ambulance wagge al with a body of the Military Train Corps, under th e command of Lieutenant Bentall, arrived to render whatever assistance they might be able to the sufferers. fhe patients having been examined, and as many ag possible sent home, the ambulances took all that the An ti ' Galilean Tavern could not accommodate to the Marine Hospital at Woolu ich. The removal of the dead bodies from the carriages wa s work of much difficulty, but, nevertheless, the men wake' heartily and well, although suffering from the smoke a nd heat from the fires which could not escape from the Tha bodies wprn brought up to Blackheath, and depo sited in a temporary shed which h as b een provided by Mr G 4 85 man until some suitable receptacle should be agreed on. b. was afterwards arranged that the d ea dh ouse in Lee ChtiT c should be the place to which they should be conveyed. Information has been forwarded to Mr Carttar, the co re ner for the district, and it is unde rs t oo d th a t the inve stiga ; tion will be opened this day. It is expected that one of Oa t Government inspectors of the Board of Trade will be sen down to visit the scene of the accident, and otherwise assist ja the investigation. COUNTRY MARKETS. NOTTINGHAM--SATnnoAr. The quantity of wheat on offer to-day was fair, at 101,t6 prices. Beans a healthy sale, and the same as last sveL„,.. —White wheat, from 41s to 48s • red wheat, : 3 ;8 8 to 's" ti , Barley—malting, 32s to 35s ; grinding, 27s to 28s. () A oc; old, at 25s to 3Us Od; new, 22s to 255. Beans sold a t to 43s per qr. ; new, 378 to 395. Flour, fine, 27s to 30s ; super, 32s to 37s per 20 stone. LEI CE S TER—SAT uRDAY. 35 Old white wheat, 40s to 425; red, 38s to 420 Pe;i o i, stone. New white, 40 s t o 42 s p er 36 s t one . Malting ba ,, - it tst new, 30s to 33s per qr.-, grinding, 28s to 30s ; old 4 0 0.4 268 to 28s; new oats, 22s to 25s per 24 stone. old, - ;88 to 42s per 38 stone ; flour, 31s to 39s per 20 0 GRANTHAM —SATURDAY. 3 68 1,; Old white wheat, 42s to 45s ; red, 49s to 43s per now white, 40s to 43s ; red, 38s to 41s. Malting b r , 6 ,, r :i) 32s to 35s per qr ; grinding, 28s to 30s ; oats, old, 32e; new, 20s to23s; beans, 36s to 445; peas, 34s to a‘fli. YORK—SATuaDAY. WO We had a good supply of wheat on offer from the gt ° io eo. this morning and a very fiat trade doing, about late P t Barley a fair show and steady c ernand. Oats scarce' 0 0 , Wheat, red 3Bs to 40s Oats.... ........ 18s t o 42; White do .40s to 45s Beans 40 t Barley .27s to 32s Peas . to ../1 • 0• . "'.... . ‘i 0 , ',.sv' Malt, 58s to 60s per qr. ; rye, 30s per qr.; u ° "" to 32s per sack. NOWICH—SATURDAY. t There was a moderate show of wheat at market -t 10 0- and prices for all good qualities b e i ng th e sarae n rice° week. There was a good show of b ar l e y, and late were fully supported. q g e to 35 ,,, 9 White wheat. 44s to 45 1 1 Red wheat........ Malting barley ...30s to Ks 1 Chevalier barley. 3o '0 0 Distilling do. 24s to 26s 1 Oats. 2 4, to 6. Flour, 26s Od to 26s 6d per sack from the miller TRIBAL s. cl• 13 10 oto „ Oatmeal ...- v _- oto , 0 Beans.. - 0 Bere „-. „ 0 . oto 0 0 Rapeseed k ........._______ 4 00 2,5, IBnadkiearns'eflornour. DUBLIN s. d. s. d. Wheat, white 22 0 to 23 6 Do., red 2O 0 to 21 6 Do. new Barley Oats Do., black 10 0 to li 0 Births. MrrouELL.—On the 15th inst., at Marland Hou se, ampton, the wife of Major-General Mitchell, of 3 Son the W AliON.—On the 16th inst., at 41, Grosvenor•ploB,oo. wile of (Jul. Sir Thomas ArMahon, Bart., CM. , 0f 1 , 1 4 at STEPHENOION.—On the 16th inst , Mrs Stephen son; St George's-square, of a so. keler WALsn.—On the 16th inst at 55, Hill-stree t, Der square, Lady Emily Walsh, "n of a son. . hiri gtOt i t f3 LUTLEY.—TALBOT.—On Ma the iages inst., 15th at W rit r roc t t • Gioucesterahire, John Burnaby Lutley,el de ' hampton, Hereterdshli e t to Emily Margaret, ,roipott daughter of the Hon. and Rev. George O. (3 ' rector of Withington. VERNER rc .—IsTIMEIiT. — On the 151 h inst., at St — ; Chuh, Dublin, Edward Wingfield Verner, 's011 13 " second son of Sir William Verner, Bart Florence, daughter of Thomas Vesey m.p.,., t, sci. Nugent, Deaths. WI IPS BECKWITII.—On the 16th inst ,at his residence, a ged 7t. c over-crescent, Brighton, Robert Beckwith, s ( l' , 9g SO' oox..—On he 13th inst., at 73, Wimpole-street, tb° G John Cuok, rector of Oekley, Surrey, aged 81 . pada' oltDON.—On the 16th inst , at 15, Howley-place, hill, George Gordon, Esq ; formerly of Madras. . ,„. to' (TRAY,-0a the 16th inst ,at his residence, Morn crescent, Samuel Gray, Esq., aged 74. Ken tish' MOORE.—On the 13th inst., John Moore, of 20, town-road, aged 66. uvilter Of da WRITING,— John On the 16th inst. , M aria, secon rroodt Charles Whiting, Esq., of Bridge-road, St aged 36, -------------__--- London: Printed and rrblished oy W. 114.141.4 .31 office,, ' 1 of of No. 112, Strand , P rinter, at IRE SUN ~ Strand, in ,he Precinct of the Slvoy, a the 111dAlesex.—Monday, December 19, IEO4. i ~~Y (~~~i td~w. t rk DN / 4 ,"?1% , Cr It It, It ,4 1 ., 1 )4„, 'tt 1 tik 4 . 2qtb,, 1 / 1 4; R Bali b r `~ be ct e SUN, LON ON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 19, 1864.